Machine for inserting blocks in hollow articles



pt 1942- ,A. E. USHAKOFF 2,296,964

MACHINE FOR INSERTING BLOCKS IN HOLLOW ARTICLES Filed April 21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 I I l Nl/E/VTD- v 'y I in Spt. 29, 1942.

.MACHINE FOR INS ERTING BLOCKS IN HOLLOW ARTICLES Filed April 21, 1941 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 I 35 i Z00 9 i g 100' 100 1 I 3 F1 9 JJ c 0 1 69 27 100 8/ '38 9a 2s J 16 F Y I I I 1 0 17 IA.E. USHAK'OFFY 2,296,964

Patented Sept. 29, 1942 MACHINE FOR INSERTING BLooKs IN HOLLOW ARTICLES Alexis E. Ushakofl, Beverly, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. .L, a corporation of New Jersey Application April 21, 1941, Serial No. 389,571

10 Claims. (01. 12 49.1)

This invention relates to machines for inserting an element in a hollow article and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine for inserting a block in the open end of a hollow blank of stretchable material which is to be used as the cover of the heel of a shoe.

In Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,236,552, granted April 1, 1941, upon an application filed in my name, there is disclosed a hollow heel-cover blank in the form of a swollen gel which is capable of stretching somewhatand will shrink by loss of liquid. There are described in said Letters Patent two methods of using such a blank in the covering of a heel. According to one method, referred to therein as the dry method, a block of circular outline is placed in the mouth of the cover blank while the blank is in swollen gel form, and the blank with the block in its mouth is put aside and allowed to shrink, the function of the block being to keep the mouth open. Later the block is removed; the blank is expanded to the desired shape by means of heat and pressure and frozen in its expanded shape; and finally a heel is placed in the blank, and the blank is heated to cause it to shrink While at the same time a partial vacuum is created in it so that the blank will conform exactly to the shape of the heel.

According to the present invention a machine is provided for inserting a block or similar element in a hollow article. In the illustrated machine a heel-cover blank is placed with its mouth or open end over the smaller end of a hollow, expansible, frusto-conical guiding member through which the block is pushed into the mouth of the blank.

This and other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will be described as embodied in an illustrated machine.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view principally in vertical longitudinal section of a machine for inserting blocks in hollow articles such as heel-cover blanks, the parts of the machine being shown in the positions which they occupy before the plunger starts its block-inserting stroke.

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. l of a portion of the block as it isjbeing forced through the ex- 55 :and is composed of thin, narrow strips of spring steel which overlap one another sidewise to ,a certain extent at the base of the guiding member and to a greater extent at the top. The lower ends of the strips are clamped to the conical face of a hollow base H by means of small screws [3 which are threaded through the surrounding upstanding portion of an annular member 15 and press the bases of the strip firmly against the conical face of the bas II, the annular member l5 being fastened to the top of a stationary horizontal plate I! by screw bolts, one of which is shown at IS. The base I! is held firmly in place by the screws l3 which also act to clamp the lower ends of the strips of the member}! against it, and has extending through it an opening, the diameter of which is just slightly larger than that of the circular blocks I00 which are pushed up'through it. These blocks have circular perforations 300 which are useful in the subsequent removal of the blocks from the mouths of the covers. In order to support a cover blank 20!] in the position shown in Fig. 3, with the smaller end of the guiding member extending into it, in which position it is placed by the operator, a plurality of thin supporting fingers 23 of spring steel are provided. These supporting fingers have horizontal portions, upon which the edge of the mouth of a cover blank 200 rests, and downwardly extending portions which are clamped in place by certain of the screws I3 which serve also to clamp in place the lower ends of some of the strips which make up the expansible block-guiding member 9.

In the operation of the machine, a block I00 is delivered from a stack into position below and in register with the vertical opening in the member I I as shown in Fig. l. A cover blank 200 is placed upside down, as shown in Fig. 3, with the edge of its open end or mouth resting upon the horizontal portions of the supporting fingers 23; and the block I00, which is circular in cross section and of slightly greater diameter than that of the mouth of the cover blank, is pushed up. The upper edge of the block I00 encounters the thin sloping strips which constitute the wall 'of the frusto-conical guiding member 9 and spreads them apart. The upper end of the guiding member opens and presently engages the inside of the mouth of the cover 200, thereby centering it, stretching it somewhat and holding it while the been pushed slightly above the level of the top of the guiding member, said member having resumed its normal frusto-conical shape. It will be noted by referringto Figs. 3,54 and 5 thatthe expansible guiding member 9 first engages the inside of the mouth of the blank and is finally.v displaced, so to speak, by the block.

The mechanism for feeding 'theibl'ohks'aonevbwf one into position below and in register with'itli vertical opening in the base, member II .will

' mercial form, the details of construction of which piston, indicated as a whole at 65, which is fastened to the piston rod 45, said piston comprising the usual packing leathers held in place by nuts.

With this construction the rod 45, together with the plunger 43 at its upper end, may be reciprocated vertically. To this end, two flexible pipes 61 and 69 for compressed air connect respectively the upper and the lower ends of the ..cylinder 5| with a valve mechanism H of comform'mo :part'rof the present invention. This mechanism comprises a casing or container, to which compressed air is supplied continuously now be described. The blocks'JUll area'stackedal5 .ithrougha .pipe' and suitable valves which in a magazine which consists of 'a.. hi-ralit"y? of." upright rods 25 having their lower endssorewed into the plate I! around a circular 'openiri'g-in the Plate, said plate forming the top otametal W -arescontrolld byma treadle I! normally held V in raised pos ition as shown in Fig. 1 by a spring,

not showny When'the treadle is in this raised position, compressed air is flowing up through cabinet 26 which contains the operating mech the pipe 6'! to the top of the cylinder 51; the

anism Blow the -plata lHand Lspao'ed from it i a distance slightly greater thanthe thickness of a -block i i-thin plate 21 flover -whiclr the block's 'are pus d through a 'guidewayRof Which bottom. of: ithe 5. cylinder. being? exhausted t e; p at z 17 g r th ibdfifio' m u m .fe'ed; rod rounding. the :rod' at; the lower: end: of the: acylin-i 29, there being asto mwae thfe rightehand end 0f-the -gui'dewa$t-; Thefeed Tod 'is horizont'ally slidable n a' bo're SI in a stationary member 33 and is continuallyz urged into 'its retracted itser :endifastened to :the right-hand "end 35 strokes The flow 50f: air through i this: pipe is I controlled-by thame'chahismforLpushing a block up thr'oug-h -the 'expansible -meinber ":9 "into the heel-cover blank andthis latter mechanism will new befidesoribedi Formed iin the: thin Jhorie' zontalplate (21 iiirectly -bel'ow the 'center of the guiding member s i's ani opening through? which a pushei riri the fdrm (of: a. plunger '43=-ma'y' pass, saidizplunger obeingzsplititand cla'mp'ed to the 1 When the treadle iscdepressed; ai'rvflows cylindemE l a the upl er end. fof the-cylinder lbeingii 7 exhaiistedathroughi the 'pipe fil and .thez-rodidfi (le'ft haiid) 2 position 'by 'a'-=te"nsion 'spring--35 (F-ig1 30 i wit-Ho its plunger: 43 'is movedinto; uppermost thespiston 6'5;

pipe :4 Ir "toa'the: e IOd'i29' which feedsi-rther blooks I DU virOm: the magazineyrand-cto :provide't anT'eX-i e' functionxcofsthe upper ."cylinder 4 9 :is: rto 1 control-the fioww-of. compressed aim-through: the."

haust forethe=pipe at the proper :time; To' this:

is continuously supplied; leadsinto i the cylinder;

and'thewflow'ofr compressed air through the pipe 19i to the; pipe ll is 'controlledz by ar-valve 8l whichsis. rslidable in the cylinder '49 and: is out sageway.83 -which; in the position-'ofparts' 'shoivn away rOl'l "ilJSZ iperiphery' to form an annular pas inHFigt-i 1,- connects the pipe'fl 9- -with the pipe-- A compression spring-r85-"urges 'thisi valve pe n p piston) rods45{:bys a -i of nectv the pipe-Hirom the -pi-pe 4l and to'expose an -exhausteport "86" in the-"wall of the cylinder:- said valve being -held in its lowermost position}:

pinch screw 41?: Th'e'ipistonirod passes centrally" throughztwoyertical'ly falined 'cylinders 'ran upper cylinder:i49:-and lower cylinder 5l"-'said cylin'- ders i:-beingi rigid8with ifeach 'fother "a d with "a 1 ads-shown. in-Fig: 1,-by-1the plunger A3 'theunder" side+of-which z-has engaged the: p e -f d.

supportingznember 53 twhi'e'h isususpended from :55 small "sleeve-81:, which' is slid'able-i on: the rod 45, and. through this sleeve has-pushed the valve 8 In -down. The compressed-nair enters from a source rot-"supply-.th-rough-v a pi-pe-. 89"and passes through a fitting- 9 I'- having: ecormected withit" one'ibelofw'ithei:earzrof;thekmerrrbeiwiia i. gpa ker ge a pressure gage 93. Fromnthe-lower end-pf this ofrthe=supporting:menrberc53 ibya block 6 Hand tie. 'rod's: 'one- "of "which is 1 fshown rat 13 3; a second packingigland' 6 4" being-provided :which "is fastenedeitdfitheriblck :6 Itfiwil-l :be' 'noted'that fitting. .the air passes through a -pipe- 95 to a T 91.- The .lower. end! ofuthemflexible"pipe -19 is connected -to one branch of. the..T .while to H another. branch is connected the downwardly .exlower cyljfider'fil j -i clampdz t -cthe und'ensid- 5.; tending pipe'l5 which leads to .the controlmechanism ll. Compressed air is thus supplied con tinuously tothe pipes and 19'.

Assuming that the parts of the-machine are in tlie -positibhs shown Fig. 1 and thata cover ing :them supportingsm'ember 53, 1 andvwi-th it-i the cylinders" i49"and-' 5 I r up'z and'rdown'g the: purpose of.='this adjustment being to -vary the location of =theyertic-al pathaof reciprocation of. the plung' 143,- Located: r-in.-;the .-.lower- -cylinderr. 5l'- "i --a, .7535 band? the top of i-the .cylinde'r is exhaustedfingers" 23} the operation' of tlie ma'chirie is as The trea'dlei'lT is depressed against its through the pipe 51. The rod 45 'and the plunger 43 rise and force a block up'through the positions shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 and finally entirely out of the frusto-conical, expansible; guiding member 9, as shownin Fig. 2. As the plunger 43 rises, it permits the spring 85 to push up the valve 8| thereby cutting off the supply of compressed air from the pipe 19 to the pipe 4| and. putting the pipe 4| into communication with the exhaust port -86 in the wall of the cylinder 49, whereupon the tension spring pulls the feed rod 29 to the left, and the lowermost block I00 in the magazine descends upon the plate I! in front of the feed rod 29, as shown in Fig. 2. The operator removes the cover 200 with the block I00 inserted in its mouth and releases the treadle. Whereupon the rod and plunger 43 descend, and the feed rod 29 moves to the right, the parts being again in positions shown in Fig. 1 ready for another cycle of operation.

Although the invention has been set forth as embodied in a particular machine, it should be understood that the invention is not limited in the scope of its application to the particular machine which has been shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: r

1. A machine for inserting blocks in the open.

ends of hollow articles said machine having in combination, a guiding member, a plunger for forcing blocks through the guiding member into the hollow article, a magazine for a stack of blocks, means for feeding blocks into the path of movement of the plunger, and means for operating the block-feeding means and the plunger in timed relation.

2. A machine for inserting blocks in the open ends of hollow articles said machine having in combination, a hollow, expansible guiding member through which a block may pass, said guiding member being adapted to extend into the open end of a hollow article, means for forcing a block through the guiding member into the hollow article, a magazine for a stack of blocks, and means for feeding blocks successively from the magazine into position to be engaged by the means for forcing the blocks through the guide member.

3. A machine for inserting blocks in the open ends of hollow articles said machine having in combination, a hollow, expansible guiding member through which a block may pass, said guiding member being adapted to extend into the open end of a hollow article, means for forcing a block through the guiding member into the hollow article, a magazine for a stack of blocks, means for feeding blocks successively from the magazine into position to be engaged by the means for forcing the blocks through the guide member, a source of fluid under pressure, and connections, including manually controlled valve mechanism, from said source to said block-feeding and block-forcing means for efl'ecting operation of both said means.

4. A machine for inserting blocks in the open end of hollow articles said machine having in combination, a guiding member, a plunger for forcing blocks through the guiding member into the hollow article, fluid-operated means for moving the plunger, a magazine for a stack of blocks, a member for feeding blocks into the path of movement of the plunger, fluid-operated means for moving the feed member, and a valve the position of which depends upon the position of the plunger for controlling the supply of fluid to the feed member.

5. A machine for inserting blocks in the open ends of hollow articles said machine having'in combination, a hollow, expansible guiding member through which a block may pass, said guiding member being adapted to extend into the open end of a hollow article, a plunger for forcing blocks through the guiding member into the hollow article, a piston connected with the plunger, a cylinder in which the piston is located, a magazine for a stack of blocks, a member for feeding the blocks successively into position to be engaged by the plunger, a spring for moving the feed member in one direction, a source of fluid under pressure, a pipe for conducting fluid into position to move the feeding member in the other direction, means for conducting fluid under pressure alternately to the top and to the bottom of the cylinder to reciprocate the piston, and a valve the position of which depends upon the position of the piston for controlling the flow of compressed fluid through said pipe to the feed member.

6. A machine for inserting blocks in the open ends of hollow articles, said machine having in combination, an expansible guiding member through which a block may pass, two cylinders alined with each other and with the passageway through the guiding member, a plunger for forcing blocks through said passageway, a rod on which the plunger is supported, a piston fast to the rod and located in one of the cylinders, a magazine for a stack of blocks, a member for feeding blocks one by one into the path of movement of the plunger, means for reciprocating the piston, fluid-operated means for moving the feed member, and a valve in the other cylinder, the position of which depends upon the position of the piston for controlling the operation of the feed member.

'7. A machine for inserting blocks in the open ends of hollow articles, said machine having in combination, an expansible guiding member through which a block may pass, two cylinders alined with each other and with the passageway through the guiding member, a plunger for forcing blocks through said passageway, a rod on which the plunger is supported, a piston fast to the rod and located in one of the cylinders, a magazine for a stack of blocks, a member for feeding blocks one by one into the path of movement of the plunger, means for reciprocating the piston, fluid-operated means for moving the feed member, and a valve in the other cylinder, the position of which depends upon the position of the piston for controlling the operation of the feed member, the cylinders being mounted for adjustment in the direction of extent of their axis to vary the location of the path of reciprocation of the plunger.

8. A machine for inserting blocks in the open ends of hollow articles said machine having in combination, a hollow guiding member, a plunger for forcing blocks through said guiding member, means for reciprocating the plunger, and means whereby the location of the path of reciprocation of the plunger may be varied.

9. A machine for stretching the mouth of a thin-walled hollow article of stretchable material and inserting in said mouth a block the cross-section of which is larger than that of said mouth, said machine having in combination a hollow, 'expansible, block-guiding and mouth- 

